Seven Devils
by Madam Sakamoto
Summary: They were her friends, her family, her marvelous little misfits. And she had missed them all so very much. With a debt to pay to a man from her past, and a lot to apologize for, her only hope is that they will welcome her back with open arms; these avenging angels, these dear, darling devils. - Sequel to "Rabbit Heart" - Mild Crossover/AU
1. Interlude: Seven Devils All Around Me

_Guess who's baaaaack~ :D_

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><p>The frozen landscape that surrounded them was unforgiving, snow swirling with ash from crumbling structures that once stood tall against the skyline. Everything was in shades of blue, from crystalline to midnight, and gave everything a cold, hard, unwelcoming feel. The couple was making their way through a deep ravine, out of the wind and away from most of the snow, headed further from the Frost Giant's hunting grounds and deeper into the wilds.<p>

The girl stumbled, catching herself on a craggy wall of the ravine, the sudden movement forcing her into a coughing fit. Vibrant crimson splattered onto the white snow, the contrast so great it was almost hard to look at. Red, the color of life and passion, lost amid a swirling world of blue; a color to represent frigidity and lifelessness.

"Shall we rest?" The question was asked by the taller of the two, the leader, though he did not walk in front. It was the first question he had spoken since they had arrived, the words clipped.

"No." She bit back another coughing fit, wiping at her mouth and wishing the taste of copper would go away. It washed down her throat with every swallow, filled her mouth with every word spoken, the scent of it wafted into her nose with every breath taken. "We keep moving."

"Amy." The name was part question, part statement; the tone used leaving no room for argument. "You're no good to me dead."

From any other man, that comment would have sounded hard-hearted. From this one, it was almost a complement. "That implies I am of use now, Loki." The girl straightened, fighting back the urge to simply collapse on the spot. "Are you admitting you'd miss a mortal if they were gone?"

He sniffed, not deigning to reply verbally; instead merely moving past her, further along the ravine. He kept his stride short, so that she would be able to catch up once she could, but he refused to look back in order to check on her. It was foolish to feel anything for a Midgardian, for a girl like her, and yet… He cast her a quick glance over his shoulder, careful to do so in a way that she could not see. She was still slumped against the wall, breaths coming in short and shallow. He growled low in his throat, turning and striding back to her side. "_Imbecile_." He hissed, fingers spreading out wide as he caught her up in a shroud of green mist, his magic made tangible in order to carry her. "I told you, you are no good to me dead. Should you persist to over-exert yourself, this journey will have been for nothing."

She smiled weakly, watching carefully as he continued to move through the frigid landscape, towing her along like a life-sized marionette. "Yeah, yeah, I heard you." She grumbled, watching his shoulders stiffen slightly from her off-hand tone. "And I apologize for being such a burden."

The muscles in his jaw clenched as he shot her a sidelong glance, a soft snort his only reply. "Enough. Talking will only make you weaker."

She took the comment with a smile, relaxing against the surprisingly warm swirl of green that surrounded her. She made no verbal reply, but her smile was enough to earn her another snort as he turned his attention back to their path and what awaited them at the end of it.

To think, she would be the first Midgardian to see the heart of Jötunheim… She felt warmer just thinking about it.

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><p><em>This. This whole thing, is thanks to you guys. All my lovely reviewers who asked for a sequel, and then patiently awaited the day I got my lazy hide in gear to actually do it. Thank you.<em>

_And this part was actually written as another one-shot, and then I went "Wait a second..." and it turned into the Prelude for the sequel. XD_

_Stick around, even with school starting up, I plan to make this ride worth the wait! :D_

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><p>The Avengers <em>and all related characters belong to: <em>Marvel

Amy Liddell_ belongs to: _Madam Sakamoto

_Story title and all chapter titles are taken from the song_ "Seven Devils" _by_: Florence and the Machine


	2. Chapter 1: Seven Devils in My House

_Here, have another chapter right off the bat. :3_

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><p>The workshop was blessedly quiet, except for Black Sabbath blasting into the wire-and-mechanisms space like angel song to the man sitting at a workbench with his head bent and his attention directed at his newest project. He turned to grab another tool from the table beside him, and caught sight of little blue light blinking by the elevator. The music quieted to a much more bearable level, and Tony rolled his eyes as the doors slid open smoothly and deposited the Captain into the workshop like some out-of-place Victrola in an Apple store.<p>

"Tony, you need to—"

"The only thing I need to do is change the locks on my elevator." Tony snapped back, not in the mood for another lecture about conduct from their fearless leader. It had been a month since… _since her_. Since her '_goodbye_' that had been completely insufficient. And Captain Obvious hadn't let it go that Tony was down here more than he was out on patrol. Tony had explained it was a coping mechanism, but Steve hadn't taken that very well, so they were still at odds.

"It's Amy." Steve said softly, and Tony opened his mouth to argue why he was down here, but stopped when Steve finished his train of thought. "She's back."

Tony was out of his seat and halfway to the elevator before Steve could do more than blink, hurrying to follow him into the lift and head back up into civilization's waiting arms. "How long has she been back?"

"About two minutes." Steve sent him what would almost classify as a smug smile. "I made sure to come tell you as soon as I found out."

Tony blinked, genuinely touched that Steve would even consider coming in person, and somehow insulted that Jarvis hadn't warned him. He was pretty sure he looked like a mess, with oil smudged on his arms, and there was something sticky near his hairline if he wasn't too mistaken. He lifted the rag still in his hand and wiped at the substance, wondering if it was more oil, of something less… obvious.

He was feeling at least a little cleaner by the time the elevator doors opened, and he beat Steve out into the living room, making a bee-line for the girl currently hugging Barton like she hadn't seen him since they were in high school. He stopped three steps from them and simply stared at her.

She had grown, that was obvious, she was a bit taller now, and her hair was short; cut into one of those pixy-esque hairstyles the kids were wearing nowadays. It was still dirty blond, her eyes still blue, and when she released Barton and caught sight of Tony, he thought they both might start crying.

"Hey handsome." She whispered; grinning like the creature her hairstyle was named for. "You miss me?"

Tony prided himself on his self-control in that moment, because all he wanted to do was kiss her because _yes_ he had missed her, and _yes_ seeing her again was the best kind of present anyone could have given him and for the love of— "C'mere, you little imp." He grumbled, pulling her into a hug, crushing the breath out of her with the force. "Who wouldn't miss you, huh?"

She giggled, squirming a bit to get his arms to loosen, and returned the hug just as strongly. "Thought you might not have liked seeing me again, after the stunt I pulled last time…"

"You're back." He said firmly. "All previously-pulled stunts are now forgotten and forgiven. Simple as that." He released her slowly, as though afraid she might vanish as soon as she was out of his arms, but she stayed perfectly real, perfectly visible, and he decided that maybe this time things would go more smoothly— There were no demi-gods to read, no mayhem to get into, everything could be like it had been, once upon a time.

Everything could be alright again.

"Amelia!" Thor's voice ripped through the room like a lightning bolt, and the blond scooped her up before she could do more than smile his way. Tony backpedaled several paces, as Thor spun about with the telepath in his arms, earning himself a girlish shriek from his victim. "It is good to see you again." He said as he set her back down, face alight with a smile. "You will be staying, this time." It was less of a question, and more of a quiet reassurance, a look passing between the two of them silently before she smiled.

"I'm planning on it." Amy said, giving the hand still holding hers a gentle squeeze.

Tony, suddenly, desperately wanted to know what had been on Thor's goodbye video.

Thor grinned, nodding once in approval, and straightened up. "We should celebrate, now that you have returned."

"Oh, no, no, I don't want you to make a fuss…" Amy looked honestly horrified over the thought of being celebrated, and Tony wondered how many birthday parties the girl had had over the years.

"Nonsense!" Thor rumbled, smile positively _glowing_. "You are worth making a fuss over, Amelia. Besides, it has been some time since we had a day of rest… I believe we deserve the chance to have one."

Tony, who was all about partying for good (or at least not-bad) reasons, jumped on the wagon like it was a lifeline. "Sure, I mean, why not have a day to kick back and catch up?" He looked pointedly at Amy, and he knew she caught his meaning. "We haven't seen you in forever, the least you could do is tell us what you've been up to."

She gave him a rather nonplussed look, but sighed and hung her head in defeat. "Oh, alright." She mumbled, earning another cheer of success from the resident thunder god.

Tony grinned, herding everyone back into the living room proper, because he knew Steve hadn't had a chance to say hello to the new arrival (at least he doubted it, considering the looks the Captain kept sending her), and he felt it was his duty to ensure he could do so without interruptions. After all, Steve had given up his chance to do that in order to come get him from his lair, so it seemed only fair to repay him.

"It's good to have you back." Steve managed after a pause, not really looking at her. "What changed your mind?"

Amy gave him a rather guilty smile, feeling like possibly the worst person ever for having done what she had, the last time she had been in town. "I got a call from an old friend… He asked me for a favor, and I couldn't refuse."

"I take it Fury had nothing to do with this?" Steve guessed, knowing full well that Amy was just as fond of dancing on command as Tony.

"He let me come here." She tapped a foot to the ground beneath her. "Agreed to let me stay, but otherwise no. He had nothing to do with it." She watched the other Avengers all get comfy on the furniture in the living room, bickering over how to properly celebrate her coming home. "Captain, I feel I owe you an apology most of all."

"For what?" He gave his best Tony-esque shrug of uncaring. "You said your goodbyes, you found a new life, you chose to follow your own path… There's nothing wrong with that."

"But I shouldn't have." She replied, turning to look at him. "I shouldn't have been that selfish." Blue eyes met, and she gave him a sad smile. "I should have realized there are more important things in life than personal happiness. You needed me, and I wasn't here. You _wanted me_, and I turned my back on you. There's no excuse for behavior like that."

Steve dipped his gave to a point on the floor somewhere between the two of them. He remembered how terrified he had been when those eyes had shifted color, when they had learned it wasn't just Loki's memories she had stolen, but so much more. "You had your reasons."

"Steve." He looked back up at the summons, his resolve to not show how he felt nearly shattering when he saw her expression. "No personal reason is more important than my friends. You're my family now; you're all I have left. Running from you was…" She stopped, shaking her head. "I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Steve took the four or so steps that separated them in a flash, scooping her into a hug so he could let his heart do the talking. He was hurt and mad and so cut up inside that she hadn't thought she could trust them to keep her safe, keep her from having to bark on command for their Director, but then… Then he had been worried that she wouldn't be safe, wherever she was, that other people would use her and then let her drift off into darkness. And he was so _relieved_ that she was standing there now, fully intact and so apologetic that he wanted to cry. This wasn't about her leaving, he had forgiven her for that, this was about her having the courage to face them all again, when, for all she knew, they could have turned their backs on her just as she had. "No, you're right, you don't deserve it." Steve spoke finally, feeling her tears start soaking into his shirt. "But that's the beautiful thing about forgiveness… No one who gets it ever deserves it. That's the whole point."

She held onto him a little tighter, as though trying to use him to ground herself; to drag her emotions back in from where he had managed to make them spill out. "Thank you, Captain Rogers." She whispered finally, pulling away slowly and smiling up at him, wiping at her eyes.

"You're very welcome, Miss Liddell." He replied with a smile.

"Steve!" Tony was staring at the pair of them over the back of the sofa, his expression one of faux-surprise. "Are you making our Queen of Hearts _cry_? For shame!"

"Ugh, Tony!" Amy rounded on him, her expression and tone of voice back to normal. "You know just how to ruin the moment!"

He grinned brightly, winking at her. "I know, I know, but now that your moment has been utterly shot to pieces, could you get your cute hair over here and help us decide? We're down to Shawarma or Chinese, and the scales are perfectly balanced. We need a tie-breaker!"

Amy blinked at him, one eyebrow arching. "What's Shawarma?"

"That's it!" Tony cried, turning back to the group. "We're introducing her; I don't care what anyone else says. Her education is not complete until she knows about the delights of Shawarma."

Amy started laughing; ready to join the rest of them, but Steve stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"If I may… Who is this old friend who asked for a favor?" Steve asked, curious over who could have called her out of hiding so easily.

"Professor Charles Xavier." She replied promptly. "He's a mutant like me."

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><p><em>Plot twiiiiist~<em>

_I bet you thought this was all gonna be with her and Loki, didn't you? XD_

_Well... Some of it will be, I promise. Story isn't a story till Loki walks in. ;D_

_Also; having looked up Shawarma to see how it is correctly spelled, it sounds friggin' _delicious_. I would totally go out for Shawarma with the Avengers.  
>Then again, if you're going out to eat with the Avengers who cares what you're eating! XD<em>

_*feels another one-shot plot bunny coming on*  
>Oh no, not again! D:<em>


	3. Interlude: Before the Day is Done

_(Insert clever explanation of flash-backy-ness here)_

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><p>Darkness was tugging at her mind, its cold fingers trying to rip her from the shell of flesh and bone and into a realm that she could not comprehend. It was vast, full of swirling shadows and voices that spoke in a language that she did not understand. She was floating along in the dark, without a way of knowing which way was up, or where she was going. She felt lost, alone, confused and scared…<p>

"_Look at me! I told you; you're no good to me dead!"_

The voice is strong and hard, something tangible in the otherwise endless pit of shadows. She reaches for it, tries to hold it, but she cannot grasp a breath that sends out words. She cannot find what she is desperately fumbling for. Instead she finds cool leather and frigid metal, linen that is not quite warm, and what could be skin, if it were not so cold.

"_Yes, that's right. Listen when I'm speaking to you; pay attention. Your lesson isn't over yet, girl."_

She fumbles with the leather and metal and skin and finally finds the mouth whispering to her, demanding her attention. Lips move against her frigid fingers, and she wonders why she cannot see him when he is so close, close enough she can feel his heartbeat, hear his thoughts.

"_Fight it! If you want what I can show you then you must prove that you will not succumb to it first. Fight, Amelia, or you will die."_

Her hand slips from his lips and finds his pulse; thoughts thundering through her mind like a stampede of Bilgesnipe— wait.

Amy sat up with a soft scream, eyes wide and heart hammering. Sweat clung to her in frozen little droplets, dappled over her forehead and soaking into her clothing. "Oh, what the _hell_." She growled; her head beginning to pound. She was shivering in a cave, the walls deepest blue, as though… She snapped her head up with a wince, staring at the man who had been trying so desperately to drag her back to reality. "We're…"

"Trapped, yes." He gave her a disapproving look, as though it were her fault they were… Well, wherever they were.

Delicately, she put her first two fingers to his neck, the pulse throbbing beneath her fingers and telling her all she needed to know about their location. "Oh."

Loki's expression was calm, despite the apparently dire situation they were in, and he had tipped his head to give her more access to his neck. The shift from rigid refusal about allowing her access to an unspoken agreement had surprised the telepath, but she had accepted the olive branch without question; no matter how tiny of a thing it was. "Oh indeed." He replied softly, eyes catching the light from the meager fire near them and dancing. "Are you able to walk?"

Only a God of Mischief could make that sound like an insult, Amy decided. Frowning faintly and using his shoulder as leverage to propel herself up onto her legs. Her knees were shaking a little, nothing more than a tremor when she stood still, hardly noticeable. "I'm fine."

"Then you should be able to use magic." Loki responded calmly, not looking at her. "Try something."

"Like what?" She asked, turning to look at him. He hadn't taught her a single spell, hadn't even mentioned such a thing.

He cast his eyes upward for a moment, as though begging Odin for patience while he dealt with such a stupid human. "Magic is controlled by will. Will yourself to do something."

"But what…?"

"Anything!" He snapped, glaring at her. "Make a decision and act upon it, do not expect me to coddle you through this."

Her jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists, and when she next spoke it was his voice she heard falling from her lips. "I do not expect to be coddled, _half-breed_."

The look he gave her could have frozen the Sahara _sun_, it was so cold, but the twitch in his lips gave away his approval of her talent. "Were you wearing any other face, I would strike you for such a slur." He commented softly, and she knew he meant it. "But as it is, it would not do to hit myself, regardless of the remark." His gaze changed, flickering from murderous to appraising in an instant. "Well played, girl."

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><p><em>There will be more of these, where the story from before gets filled out some!<br>_

_Though, I promise not to post two of these one after the other. That would just be mean._


	4. Chapter 2: Thousand Armies

_First: Hawkeye needed an excuse for not being present during the epic showdown of epicness that was Captain America 2. So I gave him one.  
><em>

_Second: This turned into a mild crossover/AU fic without my permission. Apologies._

_Third: **Spoilers** for Captain America 2, and Season One of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._

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><p>The castle rose up from the lush landscape proudly, a monument of stone. Its rough walls held secrets better than any safe on earth, and the people who lived there took refuge in that knowledge. It was still home to the blonde, even after all this time away, and pulling into the drive made her face light up like a kid's on Christmas.<p>

"I still say I could have come alone." She grumbled to the driver as the car slowed, the deeper into the grounds they went. "I don't need an escort to come back here."

"You say that, but somehow I think you like having me along." Clint teased back, grinning. "Admit it; you were thrilled the moment Fury assigned me to bring you."

"I don't need a babysitter…" Amy said as the car rolled to a stop, Clint putting it into park and killing the engine. "And it's insulting to insinuate I can't take care of myself."

"Hey, hey, no one's saying that." The archer pulled off his sunglasses, looking over at her. "But c'mon, Amy, you've been gone a long time… Fury's just…"

"Worried I might be compromised?" She guessed, eyebrows rising. "Is that it?"

Clint sighed. "Amy, it's not that Fury doesn't trust you, he just wants to be sure you're safe. If word got out about what you can do, especially now, terrible things could happen to you." He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. "None of us want that."

Amy opened her mouth to speak, but just then someone appeared at the front door to the school, and she stopped, hurrying out of the car and up the steps. "Professor! It's so good to see you again!"

The man laughed, inclining his head to her. "And it's wonderful to see you again, Amelia. How are you doing?" He glanced at Clint as he got out of the car. "Been behaving, I trust?"

"Of course, Professor, I wouldn't think of breaking any rules." She smiled, glancing at her escort. "Professor, this is Clint Barton, he works with S.H.I.E.L.D. Clint, this is Professor Charles Xavier, he runs this school."

"Nice to meet you, Professor." Clint shook the hand offered to him, smiling. "Amy says you have a problem you need solved?"

"I wouldn't call it a problem, Agent Barton, so much as a tricky situation." Professor Xavier replied, chuckling. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you what I mean."

He led the way into the mansion, and Amy hurried after him, beckoning Clint along. They weaved through students headed between classes, some staring at Amy, others gawking at the archer.

"How are the others, Professor?" Amy asked after a moment. "The graduates, I mean… Are they doing well?"

Xavier did not reply right away, but after a moment he inclined his head. "Yes, quite well. Though none of them have been recruited as you were."

Amy shrugged, dipping her head. "I didn't really have a choice, Professor. I would have much rather stayed here."

Xavier led them into an elevator, pressing a button at the very bottom, which illuminated into a circled X. "I know, Amelia. But you're doing a great deal of good where you are."

Clint nudged her gently, and received a glare in return.

"Professor, you mentioned needing my help with a reading, but you never mentioned the person in question. Is it a student?" Amy asked, ignoring the chuckling Agent beside her.

"No, it isn't. I'm afraid, Amelia, I was not entirely honest with you." He exited the elevator as soon as the doors slid open, Amy taking a moment before she started to follow him. "This is a favor for someone else, really, but they thought it would be best coming from me."

"Professor. Who asked you to do this?" Amy hurried after him as he turned down another corridor. "Who am I supposed to read?"

Xavier pressed another button, and another set of doors slid open smoothly, revealing a small group of people beyond. One stepped forward, smiling. "Hello, Miss Liddell, I'm Agent Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

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><p>"Coulson, what's going on?" Clint stood with his arms folded, watching Amy from across the room.<p>

"S.H.I.E.L.D has been compromised. Captain Rogers has taken care of the most immediate threat, but we need answers and we need them now. We had to go underground, deep, and the Professor let us hide here for the time being." Coulson looked shaken, more so than Clint had ever seen him before. "We needed Amy, and this was the only way to get her help."

"By setting her up? You could have _asked_!" Clint bit out. "Why the subterfuge? She's not a criminal, you could have just…" He trailed off, putting a hand over his eyes. "Why Xavier?"

"She trusts him. She doesn't trust us. For good reason, it seems, but that's not the point. We need her, and she's been less than cooperative in the past."

"And you wonder why?" Clint shot a glance at the other man, sighing. "Coulson, I understand she's an asset, I do, but there are better ways than—"

"Coulson, let's get this over with." Amy moved across the room to them, arms folded tightly over her chest. "Who is it you want me to read?"

"Her name is Skye. She's been working with us on a different mission, but now we need some answers, and I think you can get them."

"Does she know about me?" Amy asked, relaxing slightly at the knowledge of who she would be reading. "About what I do?"

"She has been given a brief overview of your abilities. At least the Intel we had at the time. Now, of course, things may have changed." Coulson looked her over, pausing before he continued. "We need you to read her, but if you refuse, I understand."

Amy looked passed Coulson to where the others of his group were standing, all huddled together casting her curious, cautious looks. "I'll do it."

Coulson nodded once sharply, turning to his agents.

Amy made to follow him, but Clint grabbed her arm, pulling her around to face him. "Amy, you don't have to do this." He whispered to her. "We can walk away right now, pretend this never happened."

Amy smiled at him, but there was very little joy in it. "Oh Clint… That's something I do love about you. Your continued belief that we can simply walk away." She gently took his hand off her arm. "If I walk away, Fury puts a bullet in my head. If I do this, I win his trust back." She smiled, shrugging. "We move forward to keep ourselves alive, Clint."

She moved across to where Coulson was standing with a brunette, whom he introduced to her. "Skye, this is Amelia Liddell. Miss Liddell, this is Skye."

"Call me Amy, please." She inclined her head, not offering her hand. "Would you mind coming with me? I find this easiest to do when there are no prying eyes."

Skye nodded, following her off into a corner of the room. "Coulson told me a little about you… Do you know anything about me?"

"That's sort of the reason for this, isn't it? To get to know you." Amy said, keeping her arms folded. "That's what I do."

"How does that work?" Skye asked, taking a seat in a chair by the wall. "Is it in your blood, or do you have an over-developed frontal lobe? Are you like Sherlock Holmes and just observe lots of things?"

Amy laughed, shrugging. "I think '_in my blood_' is the best response to that… Here at Xavier's school, people with gifts like mine, in their blood, learn how to use them. They're called Mutants."

"I thought they didn't exist." Skye blinked repeatedly. "Are they real? I mean, really real?"

"No, I'm totally a figment of your imagination." Amy replied dryly, waiting till Skye had grinned to follow suit. "But really, with all the things you've seen working with S.H.I.E.L.D, are you really surprised that people like me exist?"

"Guess I shouldn't be, huh?" She shrugged. "So, ah, how does this work?"

"Take a deep breath, this isn't going to hurt." Amy smiled at her. "Think for a minute— anything you don't want me to see, but into a container. Visualize is in your mind. A book, or a door, something like that. Put your memories behind or in it. Lock it up tight. Don't open it till I'm done, or I'll see them. Understand?"

Skye nodded, closing her eyes tight. She sat for a moment in silence, and then nodded once. "Okay."

"Relax." Amy said, reaching out to hover her hand over Skye's heart. "This will only take a moment." She pushed her hand forward, made contact, and watched the world fade to black.

_Everything screamed inside her skull, the voices, the lights, the sounds, everything was pressing in on her in a rush. She could barely see, the lights blinding, and she groped through empty space in a desperate search to find… Find…_

_A rupture, a deep, rumbling boom, and the world went silent, went black. The world faded away and she was left alone, a girl in a crater crying for people she would never now see…_

Amy recoiled with a strangled yelp, nearly toppling out of her chair.

In seconds, Clint was by her side, hands on her shoulders, voice in her ear. "Amy? You alright? Talk to me."

"Fine!" She bit out, spots flashing in crazy patterns before her eyes. "I'm fine. Get Coulson."

"Did I do something wrong?" Skye was looking between Barton and Amy, eyes wide.

"No, no, you're fine." Amy took deep, slow breaths, calming her heart. "I just didn't realize… You don't know where you came from, do you?"

Skye shook her head, looking away from the blond. "No, I'm what they call an O-84… An object of unknown origin."

"Want to know a secret?" Amy asked, leaning forward and lowering her voice. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Clint talking to Coulson, and she didn't want him to overhear. "I've got an O-84 on me right now."

Skye looked between Amy and Coulson before she leaned forward, her lips twitching upward at the corners. "Really? Can I see?"

Amy held out her arm, a thin strip of metal looped around her wrist. "There you go." She smiled as Skye took her wrist in her hands and peered more closely at the bracelet. It was a dark metal, with a set of small blue stones set across one band that glowed faintly.

"What's it do?" She asked, looking at it more closely. "Are those glowing?"

"They are, yes." Amy saw Coulson stiffen and gently pulled her hand away. "It lets me do this." She clenched her fist, turned her hand palm-up, and then opened her hand, showing Skye a rose made from ice.

Skye gaped at it, struck dumb, before she reached out to touch it gingerly.

Amy snatched her hand away as Coulson turned in their direction, the rose vanishing with a wave of her fingers. She looked at him, noticing Skye straighten up in her seat as well. "I got nothing."

"I hear that you never get nothing." Coulson replied with a faint smile. "Care to be more specific?"

Amy turned to look at Skye, tipping her head to one side. "There's a fragment of before she can remember on her own. But it's blurred and frantic. She must have been scared out of her mind… She's pushed it down too deep, I can't get to it."

"What if you went deeper?" Coulson asked.

"I don't go deeper." She replied promptly. "That was one time, and I'm never doing it again."

"One time? Who was it to?" Skye asked, glancing between the two of them.

Amy let out a soft sigh, looking back at the brunette, smiling softly. "Loki Laufeyson, god of mischief."

"How did you manage that?" Skye asked, her eyebrows climbing her forehead.

"I made a deal with the devil." Amy replied, glancing at her wrist. "And he graciously complied."

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><p><em>I'm sorry I've been so busy, but I'm back now! :D<em>

_Expect more updates soon!_


	5. Interlude: In The Evil's Heart

_I do so love these interludes..._

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><p>"Breathe."<p>

"I am breathing."

"You are doing it poorly."

Amy ground her teeth to keep them from chattering, fingers clenching before she tried again, breathing deep and evenly. She tried to see the frozen wasteland they were standing in as she breathed, envisioning the dark, looming mountains and the blue-tainted snow that surrounded them like a frozen shroud.

She felt the metal around her wrist like an anchor, pulling her down, but she ignored it. She pushed off from the ground with her toes, floating a few inches off the ground.

"Breathe."

"I am breathing."

"Deeper. You're barely floating."

"I'm _trying._"

"Try _harder_."

Something cold and hard grabbed at her ankle, and her eyes snapped open. She plummeted back to earth, losing her footing and falling back into the snow. A puff of white went up from the impact, a growl leaving her lips as she pushed herself up onto her elbows.

"You must concentrate."

"How can I, with you grabbing at my ankles?" She snapped, glaring up at him. "What does floating have to do with _anything_? You can't even fly!"

"So you should feel proud that you have an ability I do not." He snapped. "What would you have in place of it? Teleportation? Control over another's mind? Duplication? Conjuration? What gift do you believe would be easier, exactly?"

Amy growled, pushing herself to her feet, brushing at the snow that clung to her cloak. "It still feels heavy." She muttered, glancing at the bracelet she now wore. It felt like a shackle, dragging her back to earth, not the mystic element he claimed it to be.

"I will until you rule it." He replied calmly, stalking back to his original perch. "That is part of the price you must pay to rule the power now running through you. It will not be easy. I warned you of that."

"You told me… You just never mentioned how _much_ it would hurt." She replied, trying to catch her breath. It was easier now, with the bracelet to keep the magic from eating at her insides, but it still hurt in her bones. A dull ache, like a sore muscle that needed to be worked back into flexibility.

"Would you have agreed to this if you had known?" He asked, watching her curiously. "Would you have stayed this long?"

"I need this." Amy shot back, growling again as she closed her eyes and tried to breathe.

"Ah yes… The little queen must learn how to vanquish her enemies, mustn't she? The kitten must learn to use her claws."

"Who are you calling kitten?" She lifted off, rising up into the air without any difficulty, floating higher and higher until she could no longer hear his breathing in the distance. "You're the one who's mind is a bag full of cats."


	6. Chapter 3: Your Love Will be Exorcised

_So, minor spoiler warning for Thor 2 as well... Because apparently that's how this story wants to be written. XD_

* * *

><p>The grounds were quiet, after dark, and Amy was alone as she walked through the gardens. Xavier had offered to let them stay for the time being, and she and Clint had gratefully accepted. Curfew was in another hour, but until then she could explore the grounds to her heart's content.<p>

She wandered around another corner, and found what she was looking for. The fountain bubbled quietly, the low benches that surrounded it comfortable to sit on. She perched on one furthest from the entrance, sitting with her legs folded under her.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, focusing in on who she wanted to talk to.

She heard Tony's voice before she saw him, the mechanic rattling off some equation to his A.I. Part-way through the conversation; however, he caught sight of Amy and toppled out of his chair.

"Whoa! Amy? Where'd you come from? Where's Barton?"

"Relax, Tony, we're fine. This is just a trick I learned while I was away." Amy smiled as the brunette experimentally poked her arm, recoiling when his finger moved through her. "I just wanted to check in with you. Let you know we arrived safely."

Tony smiled, returning to his seat. "Good to know. Everything alright? No trouble?" He cocked his head in his _I'm-actually-really-worried_ way.

"Everything's fine." Amy assured him. "We'll be spending a few days here before we head back. I don't really know what'll happen then."

"You could stay with me." He offered with a grin. "I've got a big place and no one to share it with… I don't bite and I promise not to cramp your style."

Amy laughed. "Is that your way of saying you won't ask me pressing questions?"

"I don't care what you and the snowman got up to." Tony said flatly. "You're _you_, Amy. You could have been taking lessons from the Super League of Supervillains, and I'd still welcome you back with open arms." He sat forward, grin fading as he grew more serious. "You will _never_ be one of the bad guys. Not to me."

Amy felt her eyes start to prickle, warmth flooding her chest. "Tony, I…" She felt something grab her ankle and flinched. "I have to go. I'll see you soon, Mr. Stark." She winked as he rolled his eyes, and drifted back to herself.

"Off selling me out to your friends?" The voice was like ice, and sent a shiver down her spine. "My, that was fast."

"What are you doing here?" The telepath asked, slowly opening her eyes. "Last time I saw you, you were fading into the distance of a very cold planet."

"I am not so easy to get rid of." Loki continued to stand, even after she had moved instinctively over to make room for him. "Well? I take it you have something to report?"

Amy dipped her head, feeling his eyes bore into her. "You were right."

"About?" He prompted. "We discussed so many things, after all."

She glared up at him, but remained seated. "Fury doesn't trust me."

"What a terrible fate for you." He quipped.

She had him on the ground in a matter of seconds, growling into his face. "You are a _stain_." She hissed. "You have _tainted me_."

"And you asked me to." He hissed back. "You _begged_ to have my stain seared into your skin; to have me taint you in ways previously unimaginable." He rolled them both, pinning her wrists to the ground, voice a sharp whisper in the night. "But tell me, little queen, was it worth it? Outcast that you are, do you regret it? Do you wish for me to take my gifts back?"

His fingers found the bracelet she wore, and she struggled to keep it away from him.

"Would you really have me leave you to die?" He asked quietly, eyes narrowing. "Even with your inhuman blood, my magic would devour you in a matter of days."

"I don't need reminding." She bit out, struggling to get him off her. "I don't…"

"You _do_." He practically purred. "You need me. Oh, it must burn you to know I am the only one who can help you. That this _stain_ is your only salvation."

She growled, and his eyes flashed red for a fraction of a second as he growled back.

"Stop fighting it." It was a command. "I thought I had taught you better manners than that."

"Given that you lack any yourself, I find that hard to believe." She shot back. "Or didn't your mother teach you any?"

She caught his hand before it could make contact with her face, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"All the same old cracks… You should really-"

He twisted his hand out of her grasp, grabbing her wrist and pressing her palm flush against his chest. Through the leather and metal, she could hear a faint thrum of a heartbeat, a soft, solitary drum in the night.

"_Listen_." He hissed. "Hear my rage, my pain. Hear my heart quake."

She felt it. She felt every second of the anguish he had been through. She quaked as the pain and rage rushed through her, as he mind filled with all that he had been put through.

It happened before she could stop it, long arms encircling her and pulling her upright, a soft whisper quieting the maelstrom he had put her through for just a moment.

"Do you see the beast inside?" He asked, holding her so tight it hurt. "Do you understand my cracks, now?"

She should have pushed him away, told him she had no desire to understand. _She should have walked away_.

"I am so sorry." She held onto him just as tightly, refusing to let go. The show of vulnerability was so rare, so completely foreign, that she wasn't prepared to let it pass by unacknowledged. She hid her face in his hair, biting back a sob. "Loki, I-"

"I do not want your sympathy." He spat. "I do not-"

"You _do_." She cut him off, hands clutching at his back. "Stop lying, Silver Tongue, just this once. You need me just as much as I need you."

The air in the garden grew deathly quiet, the hands on her back no longer digging into her like talons. They stayed that way, neither one wanting to admit defeat by loosening their hold, until footsteps sounded on the gravel path that led to their hiding place.

Loki stiffened. "Here comes your cavalry."

He vanished without any warning, leaving her arms empty, the lack of substance making her slump forward unexpectedly.

"Amy, are you out here?" Skye's voice called to her from around the bend.

Amy quickly wiped at her eyes, picking herself up off the ground. "I'm here, Skye."

The brunette came the rest of the way into the circle of shrubberies that surrounded the fountain, looking around for a moment before she approached the blonde.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah… Yeah, just marveling over how beautiful it is."

"What is?" Skye asked, raising her eyebrows.

Amy glanced over her shoulder, smiling, before she looked up into the sky full of stars. "The emotion of love."

* * *

><p><em>Feeeeeeeeeeeeels~<em>


	7. Interlude:Holy Water Cannot Help You Now

"Am I dying?"

"Yes."

"It's not as painful as I thought it would be."

"Death is said to come in mysterious ways."

"Just expected it to be… louder, I suppose."

_Mysterious_… Her vision started to fade, and she stopped feeling pain in her hands and feet. A prickling, pins-and-needles sensation took its place.

"If I die here, will I meet Hel?"

"The possibility exists. I am sure she will welcome you with open arms."

_Arms_… Hers were completely numb, her legs too. Breathing became harder and she could only really see colors and shapes. No more details.

"May I ask a favor?"

"You may."

"Could you lie to me?"

"…Lie how?"

"I don't really want to die, but if I'm going to, might as well be in the arms of a friend."

"You wish for me to impersonate one of your playmates? I have more self-respect than that."

"No, no… I want _you_ to be that friend."

_Silence_… Her vision was almost completely black. She was numb from her neck down. She felt a shoulder move to hold her head, saw arms enfold her, heard a strained whisper against her ear.

"You will not die. Do you hear me? You are stronger than that. _Live_, Amelia. For me."

Her eyes fluttered shut, a smile on her lips.

_He said my name…_

* * *

><p><em>Even more feels!<br>_


	8. Chapter 4: I'm Gonna Raise the Stakes

_I see Skye as being the super-curious, almost-little-sister when she finds something interesting/new.  
>And Amy is just happy there's someone who's not jabbing her with pointy things while they ask her questions. XD<em>

* * *

><p>"So you just got, what, pressganged into the agency?" Amy snorted. "Yikes."<p>

Skye laughed, looking down into her mug. "It's not so bad, actually… I mean, I had some rough patches, but, it's good."

The two were sitting in the kitchen, the walk back to the mansion had been a silent one, and once they returned to well-lit corridors, both realized they weren't ready for the silence of sleep just yet. Amy had suggested hot chocolate, and Skye had readily agreed.

"You consider getting shot just a rough patch?" Amy asked, staring. "Seriously?"

Skye looked surprised for a fraction of a second, but then she cracked a shy grin. "You saw that, huh?"

"I felt it." Amy moved a hand instinctively to her stomach, fingers clutching at her shirt. "I felt every second of it. I'm so sorry you had to go through something like that."

"You _feel_ the memories?" Skye gaped at her. "You don't just see them; you actually _feel them_, too?"

"Only when I go deep. Well, _usually_ only when I go deep." She smoothed down the front of her shirt. "Sometimes, if the connection is strong enough, it happens anyway."

"What's that like?" Skye asked. "I mean, do you feel happiness, too? Or the small emotions? Does it have to be a big, strong emotion for you to pick it up?"

"All emotions have the potential to be big, strong emotions- it just takes the right set of circumstances."

"So you pick up everything? And how do you see the memories, is it like a movie, or are you part of the action?"

"Whoa, slow down there." Amy laughed. "It's different for everyone, really. How much I feel, how vivid the memories are. Each person reads differently, just like how each book you read has a different style. There's no standard answer for how I read people, it's always different."

"So, was I an easy read?" Skye asked, half-hiding behind her mug for a moment.

"I've had worse." Amy teased. "Reading Thor landed me in a hospital bed, so I guess you could consider yourself an easy read."

Skye's eyes bulged. "Did you real _all_ the Avengers? What was that _like_?" Her expression shifted into a mischievous grin. "Do you have a favorite?"

Amy laughed. "I read everyone but Romanoff. I made a promise to a dear friend, and well… I think Fury liked having one agent out of the loop; in case I ended up going Dark Side. I can respect that." She smiled. "It was sort of nerve-wracking, to be honest. So many memoires and emotions and I didn't have a clue what to do with them…" She looked down into her mug, eyes losing focus as she got caught up in memories. "I don't think I could have a favorite… They're all so unique."

"How many people have you read, anyway?" Skye asked after a pause. "Coulson mentioned something about you having a photographic memory."

"I only remember people I've read in that much detail." Amy replied, looking back up. "As for the number… You're my seventh."

"Wow. Seven other lives swimming through your head… How do you keep them all straight?"

"I put them in boxes. I label them; sometimes I put stickers on them just for kicks." She chuckled along with Skye, shrugging slightly. "I keep them all separate. My mother didn't and it drove her insane."

"Your mother had the same gift?" Skye's eyes were wide as she stared at the blonde.

"I'm actually an anomaly, because of that." Amy replied. "The '_mutant gene_', for lack of a better term, is carried by males. My father was obsessed with finding out why I got my mother's powers, instead of some that were unique to me."

"Did he ever figure it out?"

"No… He died before he found the answers he wanted… He probably wouldn't recognize me now, with everything else I can do."

"I've been meaning to ask you about that…" Sky glanced at the O-84 on the other girl's wrist. "What's that bracelet made out of?"

"The same stuff as Thor's hammer, actually." Amy replied, following Skye's gaze. "The blue stones are from Jötunheim; they help regulate my magical abilities- don't ask me how."

"_Magic_?" Skye squeaked. "You can use _magic_? I thought that was just a myth!"

"People thought Thor was a myth too." Amy teased. "I stole my magic from it's been nothing but trouble, believe me." She looked at the bracelet again, snorting. "Nearly killed me, more than once."

"Why didn't you, I dunno, get rid of it, then?" Sky asked, eyeing the blue stones with evident apprehension.

"Because I need it. I didn't realize how badly until I finally got the hang of it." She smiled, meeting Skye's gaze. "Now I'm not sure what I'd do without it."

"Does Fury know what you can do?" Skye asked. "Does anyone, really?"

Amy laughed. "One person." She grinned. "But he won't tell."

* * *

><p><em>I'm diggin' this relationship. It might show up more.<em>


	9. Interlude: I'm Gonna Smoke You Out

Everything was blurred, came to her in fragments of movement and sound.

She saw emerald green speckled with blue-white snow, and then so many shadows she thought she might drown. She saw red and orange, flames licking up the walls and dark earth that looked like a burial ground.

She heard a voice beg for her deliverance, for her to be saved, heard it demand and eventually plead for her life. She heard hollow laughter and a voice that sounded so soothing she wanted to listen more. She wanted to hear that voice and nothing else, let it lull her to eternal rest.

She wanted to die.

She was laid out on something hard and cold, the rough surface catching at her clothes and skin. She felt hands brush along her face, cold as ice, felt a whisper brush past her ear. She felt her heart stop; felt the cold fingers clutch at something within her, something deeper than flesh and bone. She felt herself leave her body, felt the warmth of Valhalla, and then…

Then the pain began.

She felt cold arms encircle her, strong and hard as iron, felt another heartbeat against her chest, felt tears fall against her face, felt her body come alight with agony. She felt those arms suddenly turn warm and soft, cradling her against a warm chest.

She heard herself scream, throat bleeding from the pitch and intensity, she heard someone call her name. She heard more hollow laughter and the promise that next time would be very different. She heard a sob of thanks from one who had no reason to cry over her.

She saw red dot the snow as blood dripped from her mouth, saw red eyes bore into hers as she was laid back against something soft and warm. She saw the world come slowly back into focus, saw the concern in green eyes, saw a smile for the first time on cynical lips.

"What did you do?"

"I made a deal with the devil… And she graciously complied."

* * *

><p><em>Part of me wishes you got to see Hel more... I would love to see that relationship get more screen-time.<br>(on the other hand, there are enough daddy-issue characters, and I don't think we need the ruler of the underworld added to that list, thanks much)  
><em>


End file.
